It’s great to be back on Goodie Lane again where the author has brought us right back to the spooky little street where all the scariest things happen. THE COLLECTORS, the second book in the Fright Watch series by Lorien Lawrence, is a middle-grade treat of the most chilling proportions! Goodie Lane has started to feel like its old self again after Quinn and Mike defeated The Oldies in book one. But that feeling is short-lived as there are new residents that have moved in and soon enough the Fright Watch duo will need to brave the paranormal yet again.

I very much enjoyed the first book in this series, THE STITCHERS, and was happy to receive an eARC for the second to find out where Lorien would take the story. It didn’t take but a couple of pages into THE COLLECTORS to find that the town, the neighborhood, and the two central characters felt like old friends and I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for them this time. Not only is it another engaging story that’s sure to give chills, but it also goes further into opening more secrets of the town and continues to develop the two protagonists, Quinn and Mike, showing us how much they’ve grown in character since the first book. THE COLLECTORS is a sure-fire hit that’s as equally entertaining as the first book. I highly recommend this book and series for young and old alike to start off your spooky season the right way!

Thanks to the author, ABRAMS Kids, Amulet Books, and Netgalley for the eARC of this book.

I really enjoyed the first Fright Watch book and this follow up did not disappoint. The setting and characters are still wonderful and I was impressed with the character growth of Quinn and Mike. They are both dealing with the lasting impact of their first adventure. Quinn is additionally still dealing with her grief from her father's death as this new case brings up more memories of him. It is really wonderful to see how they support each other through this and how Quinn's family supports her. The mystery this time is once again creepy and intriguing a bit less gory then the first book but still may be more suited to older middle grade readers and those who have a love of horror. It's a great series and I am excited to see what mysteries Quinn and Mike uncover next.

This is a story about believing in yourself and the power of friendship. Quinn and Mike are neighbors, running partners and friends. I don't want to spoil anything from the first book in the series, so I'll just say that they're no strangers to investigating and facing off against creepy supernatural forces in their quiet little neighborhood. This time, The Ladies In White have moved into the houses that were previously occupied by The Oldies, and they have opened an interior design company. But there is something off about these ladies, especially their leader, Abigail. Quinn's close friend Lexie has always been into design, so she's thrilled when she has an opportunity to volunteer for Abigail's company. When Lexie begins working long and late hours and starts acting strangely, Quinn is concerned that Abigail is hiding something and that Lexie may be in danger. She needs Mike's help to unravel the mystery and save Lexie, before it's too late.

If you're a YA/Middle Grade Horror fan, you need to read the Fright Watch series! This book was a great follow up to The Stitchers and I loved it. Quin and Mike are fantastic characters with such a positive, strong friendship. I really enjoyed the cast of supporting characters, especially Grandma Jane and Red. I hope to see them play a bigger role in a future story. There were some very creepy elements in the book that sent chills down my spine. Another super fun adventure from Lorien Lawrence. And here's some great news for middle grade horror lovers - Lawrence has already written book # 3 in the series - UNMASKED - and has plans for 6 Fright Watch books in total. Yay! Can't wait to see what other creepy characters show up to cause trouble on Goodie Lane!!

Thank you to Amulet Books, the author, and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.

overall, i do feel like this book wasn't done that well. like, i do feel like that there was some parts of this book. granted, this book is for middle schoolers, so i feel like that could have been some of it. but, i do feel like that there was just some issue with this book that could have been built one more. like, i feel like they should have talked more about abigail and her past, and i think that they should have went deeper into this story. like, i feel like we knew about her, but we didn't know that much about her. and i wish they just went deeper into it all.

but, i do feel like that there was so many layer in this book, which i do think was done very well. like, i feel that there was so many things happening, and that everything kind of built up to something. like, for one, having them built up the plot with quinn's family and how they all work, and than mike and quinn's relationship, but also to see them just work together as friends but also as co detectives, but also just to see them all work together.

i also really liked the whole plot about their friends was so cool. like, i feel like they were just so cool to see them talk and be friends with more than just themselves. since, i do feel like of course, in book 1 they did have more than just each other. but, i feel like it wasn't that friend heavy, besides each other, so i do think seeing quinn and mike's, or really more quinn's, friends, and also get more plot about lex, i honestly really liked it. and i feel like that these friendships did add more layers to this book, which i think was so cool.

i also kind of wish that we got more plot about the ladies in white. like, i feel like book one we got to much plot about the oldies, where i think in that book we got to know everything about them. but, in here, we didn't get to much of these characters besides that they wear a lot of white and a couple other random things. but, i do think we should have gotten more plot about it all. and i think it should have just been better and more build up.

but, i do feel like that the ending of this book was honestly so good. like, i feel like it was done so well and that the ending honestly made the book. and i feel like it was just done very well, and i honestly wished they kept up that momentum for the whole book. but, i still think it was just very strong and fun and honestly a book that a lot of kids should read.

What a feeling to be back on Goodie Lane with Quinn and Mike as they gear up for a new school year and, thankfully for me, a new spooky & creepy mystery to unravel! THE COLLECTORS by Lorien Lawrence is the second installment in the Fright Watch series and I truly hope this series goes on and on as long as she wants it to live. I seriously think I would be best friends with these two if, you know, we were the same age and went to the same school and, well, if they were real. But that is just one of Lawrence's gifts: she brings these characters to life in every way possible. From the dialogue to interacting with their pets and family to trying to find their place in the world, Lawrence creates honest characters. Don't get me wrong - I love the MG horror side of these stories SO much. But I also love watching these kids find themselves, grapple with academic and athletic hardships, struggle with and grow beyond their grief, etc. And I am elated to say that Grandma Jane is just as charming, loving, and feisty in book two as she was in the first book, The Stitchers.

The story with The Collectors is so fun! I am starting to think their neighborhood was built atop a Hellmouth because 2-for-2 they cannot get a break with their neighbors. But let new people keep moving to their street with all their past horror stories, creepy vibes, and interesting lives! I do not want to give much else away about the plot because I had a great time realizing what this book was about as it happened. I cannot wait to continue my friendship and research with Quinn and Mike for whatever comes next.

4.5 stars and rounded up

I hadn't read the first in this series, but I am so glad I did. Lawrence creates a world that reminds me of TV shows like Eerie, Indiana and Are You Afraid of the Dark. The main character is dealing with something pretty serious and it is so excellent when fantasy authors do this. It adds a realism to a fantasy world which is super frightening. A few times, I had to put the book down and take a break because it ran like a scary thriller in my mind. Excellent!!!

This book was a wonderful sequel and I can't wait for more Fright Watch books! It was full of suspense, spookiness, and friendship-with a little young love blooming too. It is everything for middle school books!

Getting to be back on Goodie Lane was such a treat! We get to see Quinn and Mike dealing with the aftermath of their spooky encounters from last time we saw them. We also get to know each of them a bit better and deeper too! Just like in The Stitchers, I LOVED Quinn’s relationship with Mike! The two of them are adorable! This time we also get to know Quinn’s friends a bit better too, which was lots of fun!

When her creepy new neighbor Abigail moves into the neighborhood and loops one of Quinn’s friends into helping her with her design business, Quinn and Mike are up for another fabulous investigation! The Collectors was so much fun. I adored the characters and everything was delightfully spooky! This book just confirmed that I will be picking up anything and everything that Lorien Lawrence writes!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was received as an ARC from ABRAMS Kids - Amulet Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am familiar with the Fright Watch series and I first heard of it because I was looking for a series for a patron that was similar to R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series and I cam across Fright Watch and had that same scary feeling as when I first read the Goosebumps series in third grade. This book however, reminded me of an old kids show on Nickelodeon called Are You Afraid of the Dark? and The Collectors will definitely be a story that could have been featured on that show. The mystery and the anticipation Quinn and Mike have for discovering the secrets behind the family and finding the explanation to all of the strange behavior going on since the family moved in. I know our young readers will find this book very fascinating and I can't wait to hear and read their reviews.

We will consider adding this title to our JFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Something Wicked This Way Comes...

After defeating The Oldies, a new force has made its way onto Goodie Lane. Some new neighbors have arrived and they're about to open an interior design business on their street. Quinn reluctantly attends their open house but notices something isn't quite right with her new neighbors. They are very pale and Quinn is pretty sure a little translucent, not to mention a cup slipped through the hand of one of the women. Could her new neighbors be ghosts? It wouldn't be the first time she's had to deal with supernatural forces after all.

The Goosebumps books got me into reading. It's a pretty well known fact for those that know me. The Fright Watch series is one I would have devoured as a middle grade reader. As an adult it's giving me a sense of nostalgia. The Collectors is low on the scare scale but does talk a bit about grief. Quinn's father has been dead a little over a year and she's still dealing with his passing. The fact her new neighbors may be ghosts brings up some unsettled feelings she has about her father and longing to see him one more time. I'm not sure if Lorien Lawrence will write more in this series but I've really enjoyed it so far.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amulet Books for a copy in exchange for my honest review. The Collectors is available August 31, 2021. The first book in the series, The Stitchers, is available now.

I had such a blast with the first book, The Stitchers, I could not wait to get my hands on the second! And it was well worth the wait! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: WHERE WAS LORIEN WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL?!! These books are everything my 13 year old self needed. Who am I kidding? I need these books now. I cried, I laughed, I rolled my eyes (usually Mike being snarky). I want this series to last forever. I want to watch Quinn and Mike grow up and get married and grow old together. They are the cutest. And they work really well together for being so young?? Okay, I’ll stop gushing. (JUST KIDDING I WILL NEVER) GO BUY THE STITCHERS AND GET READY FOR THE COLLECTORS BY @lorienlawrence! It’s officially in stores August 31st from Amulet Books!

The Collectors follows 7th graders Quinn and Mike in another paranormal adventure. What I love about Lorien Lawrence's books is that they combine a great mystery, a wonderful friendship, a relatable middle schooler life (with school and extracurricular activities), the protagonist's healthy relationship with adults in her life (mother/grandmother)., and nice character/emotional development. All in a delightfully spooky package.

This is going to be the must-buy present for all the chills-searching middle grade readers in my life.

I always love middle-grade novels having a touch of horror/supernatural. I loved the first book, “The Stitchers (Fright Watch #1)” and was excited to read this book. “The Collectors” turned out to be equally entertaining, and in some ways, I enjoyed it better than the first book.

Firstly, I felt the author wrote the characters more complex compared to the first book. We see Mike having nightmares about the Oldies that he is not able to avoid. Even Quinn has emotional moments when she sees her father’s ghosts. I loved how the author rooted the main characters in the story compared to the first novel. There are also lovely family moments as Quinn bonds with Grandma Jane. I adored Grandma Jane and how prominent she was in the tale. I wish we see more of her in the future books.

Secondly, the plot is also exciting and different from what happened earlier. While the first book was campy and fun and dwelled purely on the supernatural, the author made the villains also complex in the story. There were times when I found myself feeling sorry for the Ladies in White (irrespective of how creepy they seem). The backstory was entertaining, and I liked the way Mike and Quinn researched to find out what was happening. As the story progresses, you wonder how Lex will get out of the trouble she unknowingly gets involved in.

Overall, “The Collectors” is wholly entertaining and an excellent addition to the “Fright Watch” series. I hope the author writes many more books in the series, as I would love to more adventures with Quinn and Mike (and Grandma Jane.

It was so fun to be back on Goodie Lane with my favorite middle school paranormal detectives! After their spooky experience with the Oldies in book one, Quinn thinks she’s in for a normal school year—until she meets her new neighbors, the Ladies in White. They seem anything but normal. When her friend Lex falls under enchanting neighbor Abigail’s spell, Quinn and Mike team up again to find out who the Ladies are and what they want. Both delightfully creepy and heartfelt, as Quinn deals with the grief over losing her father, The Collectors is a fantastic follow-up to The Stitchers!

Lawrence delivers in this second installment of the Fright Watch series! All the same chills and thrills that entranced readers with the first book are still there to engage them again, along with an element that is not often seen in children’s horror series- dealing with the emotional ramifications of the climax of the previous book. This honest look at dealing with loss and fear deepens this story and elevates it above simply a typical horror story. Highly recommended.

What I liked:
• The characters are all unique in their own ways.
• The world-building is incredible and colorful.
• Paranormal mixed with a little creepiness and suspense.

Quinn Parker (the MC) is by far my favorite character in the books. She's argumentative, brave, stubborn and she's also nice.

Lorien Lawrence has quickly become one of my favorite authors.

Fans of R. L. Stine will love this book!

Rating:
A solid ☠☠☠☠☠/5

This is book two of Lorien’s Fright Watch series! It follows friends Quinn and Mike as they battle the spooky things that keep finding their way into their neighborhood!

After defeating the Oldies (book one), Quinn and Mike think things will get back to normal. But when new neighbor Abigail moves in with her interior design firm something doesn’t seem right. Then when Quinn’s best friend Lex gets wrapped up in her volunteer position with Abigail and slowly starts acting different Quinn knows it’s time to investigate!

Soon Quinn and Mike realize there is more to Abigail and her firm than they anticipated! Can they get Lex away from her before it is too late?

Growing up I loved Fear Street and Goosebumps and Point Horror books. This series is reminding me of why I loved those books. Ms. Lawrence does an amazing job developing her characters and I love the growing relationship/friendship between Quinn and Mike. I highly recommend this series! Look for it August 2021!!!

After a chilling encounter with malevolent forces, Quinn and her friends are relieved to see new people moving into their once-haunted neighborhood - but sometimes, lightning does strike twice.

THE COLLECTORS is a spooky MG horror/mystery detailing middle schooler Quinn's (and partner-in-crime Mike's) efforts to uncover why their new neighbors seem so strange, before one of their friends falls victims to the hypnotic charm of the Ladies in White. Lorien Lawrence does a fantastic job of combining fast-paced adventure with emotional threads, including Quinn's grief over her father's premature death and her burgeoning feelings for Mike. The voice feels very true to a MG'ers experience, at once classic and fresh, and there are plenty of exciting twists thrown in.

However, I did find the pace a bit all over the place. The first half includes Quinn joining and leaving groups so rapidly, every second paragraph seems to start with "Hey!". The repetition made it difficult to feel grounded with any of the characters, which is potentially why I also struggled to actually immerse myself in the shivery side of Lawrence's tale. It just ... wasn't very scary. I acknowledge that young readers might (and probably will!) feel differently, but I've also seen examples of how MG horror can really dial up the atmosphere & chills, to a much stronger effect. The central mystery felt very underdeveloped and almost too easy, with a climax that relied more on chance than genuine thrills. I won't discuss specifics because ~spoilers~ but the tl;dr is that by the end, I just felt a bit underwhelmed.

BUT Lawrence is nevertheless an incredible writer, and THE COLLECTORS does have moments of genuine heart. It's a great introduction to horror, especially for readers who might like spookiness without nightmares. Though the plot itself could be tighter, it is certainly a solid addition to the Fright Watch series.

Plot: This was so spooky and good! I loved reading about Quinn and her friend Mike solving the mystery of the Ladies in White.

Characters: As with the first book, I think Quinn is a fantastic main character! And the supporting characters were also great!

The Cover: I really like it! It's spooky, and fits the book well.

Overall: I read The Stitchers last year and loved it (In fact it was one of my favorite books in 2020!), so I was really looking forward to this next book. And it lived up to my high expectations! It was so good, and I hope we get more books in the Fright Watch series (Werewolves? Zombies? Vampires? Or something else delightfully spooky!), because I would eagerly read them. Overall, this is a MG series I highly recommend reading!

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher.